Two volunteers were named — one adult, Debbie Erenstone, and one youth, Northwood School 11th grade student JT Wint. Each wore a cape during the day, as this year’s theme was “superheroes.”

“We’re here to thank our volunteers,” Lake Placid Community Day Committee chair Valerie Abraham-Rogers said to the crowd before the volunteers were introduced. “They are the heart and soul of this community, and we couldn’t do any of the things we do without the incredible volunteer presence that we have.”

Abraham-Rogers also said this event is a thank-you to the community as a whole.

“We constantly open our arms and welcome the world, and we love doing it,” she said, “but we rarely give ourselves a pat on the back. This day is our pat on the back.”

Gail Thayer, standing, watches Merriloons the clown paint the face of Madelyn Sunday during Lake Placid Community Day at the North Elba Show Grounds. (Enterprise photo — Andy Flynn)

Lake Placid Community Day is an opportunity to celebrate volunteers and the volunteer spirit in the town and village, and the event is open to those who work, live or volunteer in the village or town. Almost 40 organizations had tables in the pavilion to explain their work in the community. Free food and beverages were provided by the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center in Lake Placid, Lake Placid Pub and Brewery and the local Ben & Jerry’s shop, and there was live music by Big Boss Sausage.

Community Day is a joint initiative of the Lake Placid/North Elba Community Development Commission and the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism.

Stuart Hemsley was the emcee of the day, and the Lake Placid Community Day Committee joined him on the deck during the volunteer of the year speeches. Committee members are Abraham-Rogers, Karen Armstrong, John Bickford, Denise Bujold, Jill Cardinale, Catherine Ericson, Celeste Gabai, Macie Huwiler, Danielle Lacavalla, Don Paulson, Bambi Pedu, Stephanie Pianka and Stu Rattan.

“The word has started to spread. It gets a little bit better every year,” Ericson said about Community Day at the ROOST table in the pavilion. She is the Lake Placid region community liaison at ROOST. “Everybody’s able to come and share what their organization does and get volunteers to sign up.”

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Hundreds of people enjoyed the children’s activities, live music and free food and beverages Sunday during the annual Lake Placid Community Day at the North Elba Show Grounds. (Enterprise photo — Andy Flynn)

Debbie Erenstone

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“The committee had several impressive nominations, but the numerous and glowing letters of support made the choice clear,” town of North Elba Councilor Rick Preston said while introducing Debbie Erenstone.

Erenstone’s volunteer efforts include the Lake Placid Outing Club, Lake Placid Community Cross-Country Ski Program, Dark Skies Initiative, 2023 FISU Winter World University Games, New York Ski Educational Foundation and the Rotary Club of Lake Placid.

In Rotary, she is the liaison for the ski club and the Lake Placid Rotary Foundation. She heads the free hot chocolate station during the annual Lake Placid Village Holiday Stroll, has coordinated the Salvation Army bell ringing during Christmas for several years and is a captain of the duck wranglers for the club’s annual Dam Duck Race.

Assemblyman Billy Jones (D-Chateaugay Lake), left, speaks with Lake Placid Mayor Art Devlin Sunday at the North Elba Show Grounds during the annual Lake Placid Community Day celebration. (Enterprise photo — Andy Flynn)

One of Erenstone’s fellow Rotarians said she has over the years reflected on the value of Rotary in her life and how she learns from her fellow volunteers, according to Preston.

“In case you’re starting to see a volunteer who wears many hats, she does so even more with her long time involvement with the Lake Placid Outing Club, where she currently serves as treasurer and secretary,” Preston said. “She handles fundraising and grant writing, making the Outing Club activities possible. She partnered with the Elementary Summer School and High Peaks Cyclery to get kids out on paddleboards on Mirror Lake. She spearheaded many projects and trips and coordinated many partnerships with other organizations, all for the betterment of our community’s youth.”

Past president of the Outing Club, David Balestrini, told the nomination committee, “Debbie is a born leader, an idea person, motivator, get it done person. She fills a room with enthusiasm and positivity whenever she is around. Any board or organization is lucky to have her.”

During her Community Day speech, Erenstone reflected on the award and those who have inspired her over the years to volunteer.

“When I first learned that I was going to be recognized with this honor, I was filled with so much joy and gratitude. I simply could not stop smiling,” Erenstone said. “Volunteerism is at the core of our community values. People like Dmitry (Feld) and Tina Leonard stand out as role models and inspiration for us all.

From left, the superheroes from the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center offering free food to the Lake Placid Community Day crowd Sunday at the North Elba Show Grounds are training center employees Donna Day and Vail Cote and U.S. skeleton athlete Andy Whittier. (Enterprise photo — Andy Flynn)

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JT Wint

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Several letters of support for JT Wint were sent to the nomination committee. At Northwood, he has volunteered as the school’s mascot for the past three years and plans to continue in his senior year. He is also a stage crew volunteer, serves as a tour guide for the admissions department and is a steward for the Northwood Pollinator Flower Garden.

“He is one of the most active members of the CARE community service club where he helped to raise over $3,000 for local charities, has made hundreds of holiday cards for the residents of Elderwood, purchased and delivered hundreds of dollars of food and hygiene items for the food pantry, cleaned up trash on campus and in town, collected winter coats and gear for a clothing drive and organized a can and bottle recycling program,” Lake Placid village Mayor Art Devlin said while introducing Wint.

Volunteer Keela Rogers, left, helps young Jasmin with free reading material from the Lake Placid Public Library Sunday during Lake Placid Community Day at the North Elba Show Grounds. (Enterprise photo — Andy Flynn)

Wint has volunteered as a stage crew member for the Lake Placid Center for the Arts and other community performances, helped with the Songs at Mirror Lake summer concert series and a Lake Placid Marathon & Half aid station, and he volunteered for the Nordic and speedskating events during the 2023 FISU Games. He has also volunteered for local emergency services. He is CPR and first-aid certified and attended NARCAN training in Saranac Lake.

“He is a volunteer with the Lake Placid Volunteer Fire Department, already responding to calls, participating in department trainings, and can often be found spending his downtime at the firehouse going through the trucks and learning everything he can,” Devlin said.

In her letter to the nomination committee, LPVFD Assistant Chief Jen Marshall described Wint as “passionate, driven, and respectful, and has already been a great addition to our department.”

Devlin noted that community service hours are not a requirement at Northwood School.

“The one common thread in his letters of support is that he volunteers because he loves to be helpful and get involved,” Devlin said.

In her letter to the nomination committee, Northwood School Dean of Faculty and Academic Affairs Noel Carmichael said, “His volunteerism is driven by his internal desire to be helpful to others, not any external rewards. JT is on a path to a lifelong commitment to his community.”

During his Community Day speech, Wint expressed appreciation for the recognition, but he said it’s not the recognition he seeks when he volunteers.

“I do it because it’s what I love to do,” he said. “From when I was very little, my preschool teacher told my parents that I was always the first kid to be on the scene when a student got hurt or was crying.”

Wint’s explained that his first community service “gig” began when he was around 7 or 8 years old.

“I would go to the local nursing home and push their people to the chapel on Sundays for Mass,” he said. “Volunteering has always been important to me. It’s something I really enjoy doing at school and the local community. But, of course, my parents say I could do a little bit more at home.”

Scott Eichholz hands a youngster a balloon creation Sunday during Lake Placid Community Day at the North Elba Show Grounds. (Enterprise photo — Andy Flynn)